Task Force Danbi

A soldier from the Task Force Danbi.

Task Force Danbi^[1] (단비부대^[2]) is the South Korean military mission to Haiti for earthquake relief in the aftermath of the 12 January 2010 earthquake.

This became South Korea's sixth UN Peacekeeping Mission.^[3] The mission is expected to last until 31 December 2010.^[3]

Name

The name "Danbi" (단비) was chosen after a competition of 8 days. Danbi means "long awaited rain", or "sweet rain after a long drought". It won over the other two suggested names, "희망", "서애".^[4]

Mission timeline

On 13 January 2010, a 25-member military rescue team was sent as part of a 41-member Korean rescue squad to Haiti.^[5]

On 18 January 2010, the South Korean government announced a peacekeeping mission (PKO) to help Haiti.^[6]

On 5 February 2010, the UN announced that the South Korean military engineering teams would be deployed to Léogâne.^[7]

On 9 February 2010, South Korea's National Assembly gave unanimous assent to the military mission to Haiti.^[8]

On 10 February 2010, the first group of 30 troops left for Haiti.^[9]

As of 18 February 2010, the force has started constructing a hospital.^[10]

On 23 February 2010, the announced that it would provide the Korean military task force with 400 portable toilets.^[11]

On 27 February 2010, 190 PKO personnel were sent to Haiti.^[12]

On 28 February 2010, the entire force had arrived in Léogâne.^[1]

As of 8 March 2010, the name 단비 (Danbi) had been chosen for the mission.^[4]

Reactions

Koreans have criticized their own government over the slow response, and small and poorly equipped initial response to the earthquake.^[13]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Task Force Danbi.